1970 Ford Cortina vs. 1966 Lotus Elan
To start off, 1970 Ford Cortina is newer by 4 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1966 Lotus Elan. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1966 Lotus Elan would be higher. At 1,993 cc (4 cylinders), 1970 Ford Cortina is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1966 Lotus Elan (115 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 18 more horse power than 1970 Ford Cortina. (97 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1966 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1970 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Ford Cortina weights approximately 306 kg more than 1966 Lotus Elan.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1970 Ford Cortina (151 Nm @ 3500 RPM) has 4 more torque (in Nm) than 1966 Lotus Elan. (147 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1970 Ford Cortina will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1966 Lotus Elan.
Compare all specifications:
| 1970 Ford Cortina | 1966 Lotus Elan | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Cortina | Elan |
| Year Released | 1970 | 1966 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1993 cc | 1557 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 97 HP | 115 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 151 Nm | 147 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 90.8 mm | 82.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 77 mm | 72.8 mm |
| Top Speed | 169 km/hour | 190 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 2 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1002 kg | 696 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4280 mm | 3700 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1430 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1180 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2140 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 87 L | 45 L |
